As Jerome Baker sat at his locker absorbing Thursday’s 27-15 loss at Cincinnati, the reality collided with actuality for the Dolphins veteran linebacker.
Baker, who’s as level-headed as they arrive, was requested what he considered the Dolphins’ September efficiency.
He admitted the 3-1 file is an effective begin. But he reiterated it’s solely a begin, a starting.
“Now it’s the second quarter of the season,” he stated, “and we’ve just got to go out there keep doing what we’re doing.”
That’s the trick of this sizzling begin to a 17-game season. You’ve bought to keep up the recent streak.
The Dolphins, whose over/underneath victory complete in Las Vegas was 8.5, have been the discuss of the NFL’s opening month. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, earlier than the pinnacle damage controversy, was a sizzling subject nationally. Newly acquired vast receiver Tyreek Hill was a sizzling subject nationally. Even rookie head coach Mike McDaniel was gaining momentum as a speaking level.
The Dolphins defied naysayers by taking an ideal file into the Bengals recreation. Philadelphia is the one different workforce to start out 3-0.
Now comes the canine days, that a part of the season the place the joy of the beginning wears off and the joys of the postseason is just too far sooner or later. This is the place the grind of the season begins to grind on gamers and coaches.
According to the schedule, issues are about to get simpler for the Dolphins. Their subsequent 4 video games are on the New York Jets (1-2), towards Minnesota (2-1), towards Pittsburgh (1-2) and at Detroit (1-2).
The schedule, nonetheless, doesn’t account for accidents or scouting.
Tagovailoa was hospitalized for head and neck accidents in the course of the Bengals recreation after being violently sacked. It was the second week he was compelled to depart a recreation attributable to damage. In the Buffalo recreation he left briefly within the second quarter for what was initially described as a head damage however later was described as again and ankle illnesses.
Tagovailoa is off to an awesome begin with eight touchdowns, three interceptions and a 109.9 passer score, so his presence is important.
There’s additionally All Pro cornerback Xavien Howard, who left Thursday’s recreation with a groin damage within the fourth quarter and didn’t return. His presence can also be obligatory. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow went loopy throwing on the Dolphins’ secondary within the fourth quarter Thursday.
All the whereas, left sort out Terron Armstead, who has missed a median of 5 video games per season the final 5 years, is hanging robust whereas battling a toe damage that’s had him questionable for the previous two video games.
Attrition is a part of the NFL, however the Dolphins bought a style of life with out Tagovailoa and Howard towards the Bengals, and it wasn’t fairly. You don’t need to mix these two absences with an Armstead absence. The Dolphins have already needed to survive with out beginning cornerback Byron Jones (leg) and proper sort out Austin Jackson (ankle).
As for scouting (and we’re not speaking about that pirate video of a Dolphins walk-through observe in Cincinnati), anticipate that to make life a bit harder, too.
You should assume groups will quickly discover ways to successfully and persistently strain Tagovailoa, and tips on how to cope with the protection’s blitzes.
The good factor for the Dolphins is there’s no scouting that may shut down Hill, who proved to be their Most Valuable Player in September. Hill has been a one-man wrecking crew.
McDaniel and his workers have largely pushed the suitable buttons so far as changes.
The Dolphins, due to this fact, are comparatively proud of their first quarter.
“I think we showed that we can compete against the powerhouses in this league,” vast receiver Jaylen Waddle stated.
The Dolphins’ offense nonetheless hasn’t discovered its groove outdoors of Tagovailoa, Hill and Waddle. The operating recreation is sluggish, and general touchdowns don’t come simply. They have 5 touchdowns within the three video games apart from Baltimore, the sport during which they’d six touchdowns. The Dolphins common 24.5 factors per recreation, a decent complete however not essentially a fear-inducing complete.
Defensively, there’s been slippage resembling Thursday’s fourth quarter (Cincinnati scored 13 factors) and the primary three quarters towards Baltimore. The protection has been capable of make key performs, for essentially the most half, nevertheless it has issues it should tighten up quickly. And particular groups are leaking a little bit of oil amongst a 103-yard kickoff return landing, the “butt punt,” and Thursday’s misadventures of a blocked 52-yard subject objective try and a missed additional level.
“Obviously, we’re a talented team,” tight finish Mike Gesicki stated. “We’ve just got to make the most of our opportunities.”
These are heady instances for the Dolphins. They stay atop the AFC East because of their 21-19 victory over Buffalo, and in keeping with their October opponents’ data, they’ve a superb probability of being 6-2 on the finish of the month.
Of course, issues may additionally go the opposite manner.
Players say they aren’t pondering long run.
“We’ve got to keep getting better,” Howard stated. “One loss ain’t gonna determine our whole season. Like I said, we’ve got to know how it feels to lose. The stuff we can get better at, we need to take these few days, get some guys all the way healthy, and get back to the drawing board.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com